


Day 024

by Josh_the_Bard



Series: A Year in Kirkwall [24]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-25
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:54:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22395103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard
Series: A Year in Kirkwall [24]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257
Kudos: 2





	Day 024

Meredith didn’t even bother strapping a sheath to her back. She marched into Darktown, sword bared, and Maker help anyone who stood in her way. Templars and citizens alike practically launched themselves into the air to clear a path for her to the clinic. No crowd stood in opposition to her today. Meredith wondered how many of them were dead now. Killed by their own stupidity and sentimentality.

Anders was nowhere to be seen at the clinic, though she had been informed that he survived the attack. The only survivors in the clinic were two elves. One, a woman, was weeping over the bodies of two other elves. The horrific injuries they had endured made identification difficult but one was clearly a child. When would the people of Kirkwall learn. How many tiny bodies did they need to burn before enough was enough.

With some semblance of stability, the circle could be better. It could be a place where mages learned to master their talents and, only once they had proven themselves to be no danger to the world around them would they be allowed into society. As it stood now no mage of the Kirkwall circle had proven they were in command of their powers and Kirkwall hadn’t seen a single week free of demonic or magical killing in years.

The other elf was androgenous, their long blond hair tied up in a battle-braid. They wore combat leathers and carried twin daggers on their belt.

“Knight Commander,” they said. “You are here to hunt the demon that did this?”

“That is what templars do,” she replied. “When we are allowed to.” The elf stood, their features were hard as iron, but their movements had the fluid grace only the best skirmishers or dancers achieved.

“I am a skilled tracker and know the streets of Darktown better than any templar,” they declared. “You will need my help to find and kill this abomination.”

“I will not turn away help freely offered,” She replied. “But first, tell me who you are? And how does an elf come by such skills?”

“My name is Noll,” they replied. “We can waste time asking questions or we can find and kill this abomination.”

Meredith presses the elf no further and followed as they tracked the trail the abomination left in the dirt. As soon as they left the clinic Meredith lost the tracks in the mix of footprints and garbage that covered the streets of Datktown. Noll seemed to see something in that mess, however, and they lead Meredith confidently through the streets. It wasn't long before they passed signs of the abomination’s passing. Bodies torn apart and traumatized survivors. Meredeth organized her templars into two teams, one to burn the dead before they could become possessed and the other to care for the living.

She continued to follow Noll until the pair of them rounded a corner and came face to face with the Champion. He traveled with his Mabari, the Captain of the Guard, his dwarf friend… and Anders. They were covered in blood an icor though none of them looked injured.

“Warden,” she said. “I see you managed to avoid being killed, despite the demons originating from your clinic.”

“Being a healer makes me hard to kill, Templar,” he replied.

“What are you four doing here?” she asked.

“Your job,” Anders said. “And better than you could.”

“Watch your tongue mage,” Meredith snarled. She had little patience for fools on a good day, and today was far from good.

“We have killed the three demons the abomination summoned,” Hawke explained. “As well as the shades they summoned and a few walking corpses. That leaves only the abomination.”

“Unless it has summoned more demons in the meantime,” Meredith reminded him. Unless killed quickally demons and abomination multiplied like nugs. All the more reason to hurry. “If your aim is to hunt demons I will not stop you.” Meredith motionned for Noll to continue on and the two groups parted ways.

They reached a hole in the ground with a ladder leading down.

“Are you sure?” Meredith asked. An inhuman shrek came from the hole, rendering an answer unnecessary. Noll dropped down, Meredith had to follow slowly in her armor.

At the bottom was what must be a safehouse for the mage underground. There were two mages here facing off against the abomination. One of them had a barrier up and was focussing on the defensive, the other appeared to be in the process of transforming into an abomination itself.

“Noll,” Meredith barked, pointing at the mid-transformation mage. That would be the easier target, the one a non-templar would more easily handel. Meredith charged forwards and drove her sword into the abominations chest before it was even aware of her.

She hadn't expected to kill the creature but was still surprised at the speed at which it reacted. It grabbed hold of her sword and snapped the blade off at the hilt. She reached for her belt knife but the abomination was already on her, impossibly strong teeth piercing her armor and digging into her shoulder. At the same time she could feel claws jabbing into either side of her. The pain threatened to block out all thought.

“Blessed are they,” she chanted grabbing the abomination by its neck and one arm, “Who stand before the corrupt and the wicked and do not falter.” tried to tear the demon free but its strength was supernatural and Meredith could not match it. She felt the claws penetrate deeper into her body, the teeth carved out deep grooves in the muscles of her shoulder. Meredith felt a mortal terror she had not known since-

Meredith felt the impact through the abomination. Noll had stabbed into the creature with their daggers. The monster screached loosening its hold on Meredith. 

“Blessed are the peacekeepers, the champions of the just.” She bellowed finally breaking the amonination’s grip on her, tearing her own flesh in the process. She slammed it to the ground where it lay stunned for a moment. Meredith took advantage of this respite and downed a healing potion. 

Noll pressed the attack, driving a dagger into each eye socket. The creature lashed out with its claws and Noll fell back in a spray of blood. Meredith fell on the demon now, slamming it in the face with her mailed fists.

“Blessed. Are. The. Righteous.” she screamed, punctuating each word with a punch. The demon clawed at her but she ignored the pain, focusing all her energy on attack. “The. Lights. In. The. Shadow!” There was nothing left of the creatures head now but paste. Meredith stood, red blood and black icor mixing in puddles beneath her.

“In their blood, the Maker’s will is written.”

A few templars had arrived on the scene now, drawn by the sounds of fighting. Meredith spared a glance for her companion. Noll was sitting with their back against a wall, bandaging their wounds.

“Do you require healing,” she asked.

“I’ve walked off worse,” they said. “And I think it's time I did just that.” With that they climbed back out of the hole, leaving Meredith very aware that she owed her life to the elf’s bravery and skill.

The surviving mage was terrified, completely out of control of his emotions. Meredith pulled one of her template aside.

“This mage is at high risk of possession,” she whispered. No need to agitate the mage further. “If he has not regained control by the time you reach the circle, you must perform the right.” The templar saluted and moved to collect the mage.

Meredeth stared down at the bodies of the abominations. There was enough wooden debris down here to build a suitable pire and, after drinking another potion, she set to work. She allowed herself a private moment of pride. She had done what no one else had been able to these last three years. She had killed the Demon of Darktwon, she prayed that this would mean her templars could walk the streets a little safer from now on.


End file.
